Bystanders are less willing to resuscitate out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The COVID-19 pandemic may influence the willingness of bystanders to engage in resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. We sought to determine if and how the pandemic has changed willingness to intervene, and the impact of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Methods

We distributed a 12-item survey to the general public through social media channels from June 4 to 23, 2020. We used 100-point scales to inquire about participants' willingness to perform interventions on "strangers or unfamiliar persons" and "family members or familiar persons", and compared mean willingness during time periods prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic using paired t-tests.

Results

Survey participants (n = 1360) were from 26 countries; the median age was 38 yea

SUBMITTER: Grunau B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7534822 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature